Two door cabinet including improved door



March 17, 1964 5. J. 'WOOLLEY 3,125,390.

TWO DOOR CABINET INCLUDING IMPROVED DOOR HINGE AND STOP MECHANISM Filed Aug. 22, 1962 INVENTOR. SAMUEL. :r. WOOLLEY ms ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,125,390 TWO DOOR CABINET INCLUDING IMPROVED DOOR HINGE AND STOP MECHANISM Samuel J. Woolley, Louisville, Ky., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed Aug. 22, 1962, Ser. No. 218,629 3 Claims. (Cl. 312--329) The present invention relates to cabinets and is more particularly concerned with cabinets having upper and lower doors or closure members and an improved hinge and door stop mechanism for supporting at least one of the doors whereby the space between the opposed horizontal edge portions of the closure members can be held to a minimum.

Relatively heavy or large doors such as refrigerator doors and the like are frequently provided with suitable door stops associated with the door hinges for stopping or limiting the opening movement of the door. In cabinets such as refrigerator cabinets having upper and lower compartments and separate closure members for these compartments, a portion of the hinge mechanism normally extends between the opposed horizontal edges of the closure members for those compartments and is fastened to a structural member of the cabinet by means of screws in order to provide the desired strength and leverage required to absorb the stresses transmitted to the hinge mounting upon operation of the door limiting component of the mechanism. In order to provide room for the hinge fastening means as well as the sealing gaskets carried on the peripheral edges of the doors, the space required between the door edges when using such hinge mechanism is frequently so wide as to detract from the appearance of the cabinet.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a hinge and door stop mechanism designed to reduce the clearance necessary between the opposed horizontal edges of adjacent closure members.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved cabinet including two or more closure members and an improved low cost hinge and door stop mechanism for at least one of the members, which mechanism includes means for securing it to the structural portions of the cabinet in such a manner as to minimize the space required between the opposed horizontal edges of the closure members.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will #become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

In carrying out the objects of the present invention, there is provided a cabinet such as a refrigerator cabinet comprising upper and lower compartments spaced from one another and having access openings at the front thereof. The cabinet includes an outer shell including side walls and inwardly extending flanges at the front edges of each of the side walls. A structural member, secured to at least one of the side flanges of the cabinet and preferably to both, extends into the space between the upper and lower compartments and is preferably covered by an appearance member or mullion extending across the front of the cabinet and bridging the space between the access openings to the compartments. Separate closure members for the compartments include opposed horizontal edge portions overlapping this mullion and spaced from one another. At least one of the closure members is provided with a combination hinge and stop mechanism designed to pivotally support that closure member for horizontal movement about a vertical edge thereof and for limiting the opening move- 3,125,390 Patented Mar. 17, 1964 'ice ment of the closure member. This combination hinge and stop means comprises a hinge bracket including a base section overlying one side flange of the cabinet and a flat horizontal section extending into the space between the opposed edge portions of the closure members. A pivot pin on the horizontal section is adapted to pivotally support the closure member associated with the hinge and stop means and the stop itself includes an arm connected at one end to the closure member and at the other end to the horizontal section of the hinge mechanism at a point spaced from the base section. The base section of a hinge means is secured to the structural member by screws or the like extending through the cabinet side flange. To limit the space required for the hinge means between the adjacent closure members, the end of the horizontal section of the hinge includes a hook-shaped end portion which extends through the mullion and through an opening in the structural member and which is shaped so that the end of the hook-shaped portion engages the rear side of the structural member. This hook-shaped portion of the hinge means forms the sole means for anchoring the horizontal section of the hinge against the forces transmitted thereto upon operation of the stop during opening of the door.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a partial elevational view of a refrigerator cabinet illustrating the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken generally along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is. a sectional view taken generally along line 3-3 of FIGURE 1, with the lower door removed.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, there is shown a refrigerator cabinet 1 including an upper storage compartment 2 and a lower storage compartment 3. The access opening at the front of the upper storage compartment 2 is closed by means of a door 4 while the access opening at the front of the lower storage compartment 3 is closed by a door 5. In order to provide the maximum storage space Within the cabinet 1 the storage compartments 2 and 3 are placed as close to one another as possible, the minimum space normally being that required to accommodate the amount of insulation (not shown) between the two compartments for maintaining the desired temperature differences between the two compartments.

The storage compartments 2 and 3 are normally de- [fined by means of liners 6 and 7 which are spaced from the side walls of the outer shell 8 of the cabinet with the space between the liners and the shell also being filled with suitable heat insulating material. The outer shell includes opposed side walls 9, only one of which is shown, and each of these side walls includes an inwardly extending flange 10 providing a face portion on the cabinet for the mounting of the hinges, latches and other hardware. 7

For structural purposes, or in other words for spacing and bracing the cabinet side walls, there is normally provided a structural member 11 which extends horizontally across the face of the cabinet between the storage compartments with the opposite ends thereof secured to the flanges 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the spaces between the liners and the shell flanges 10 are bridged by breaker strips 12 of heat insulating material while the space between the upper and lower compartments 2 and 3 is also bridged by a mullion 14 of plastic or other heat insulating material. However, it is to be understood that the mullion 14 can be replaced by a metal member corresponding to the flange 10 and the space between this member and the adjacent edges of the liners 2 and 3 bridged by breaker strips such as the "breaker strips 12.

At least one of the closure members is hingedly supported for movement about a vertical axis adjacent one edge thereof. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, both of the closure members 4 and 5 are shown as being so supported. When both closure members are hingedly supported, a single hinge mechanism can be provided for supporting the lower edge 16 of the upper door and the upper edge 17 of the lower door and in accordance with the present invention this hinge mechanism is so constructed and supported on the structural portions of the cabinet that the space 18 between the upper and lower closure members can be held to a minimum.

This hinge means comprises a bracket 20 including a vertical base section 21 overlying the flange 10 on the outer cabinet shell and a flat horizontal section 22 extending into the space 18 between the upper and lower doors. An upwardly extending hinge pin 23 and a downwardly extending hinge pin 24 respectively pass through or into cup-shaped members 25 carried on the adjacent edge portions of the closure members 4 and 5 for swinging movement of the closure members about the axis of the pins 23 and 24. It will be understood that similar pivot type hinge pins are also provided at the upper edge of the closure member 4 and the lower edge of the lower closure member 5.

As is shown more clearly in FIGURE 3 of the drawing the structural member 11 has an end portion 27 which extends behind the flange 10 and has threaded openings 28 therein for receiving the ends of screws 29 passing through the base section 21 of the hinge structure and through suitable openings provided in the flange 10. By this arrangement, the base section of the hinge mechanism is supported on or directly secured to the structural member 11 so that this member as well as the side flanges 10 of the cabinet provides support for the doors 4 and 5.

In order to limit the opening movement of the door, the hinge mechanism includes a door stop of the sliding bar or arm type comprising an arm 30 pivotably fastened at one end by means of a rivet 31 to the horizontal portion 22 of the bracket at a point spaced inwardly from the hinge pin 23. The free end of the arm 30 includes a slot 33 adapted to receive a stop pin 34 threaded into and firmly secured to the lower edge 16 of the door 4. The slot 33 is of a length suflicient to permit suflicient movement of the pin 34 therein to permit the door 4 to be opened and closed. The outer end 35 of the slot is adapted to be contacted by the pin 34 and stop to prevent further opening movement of the door when the door has been opened, for example, to a 90 position as illustrated by the dotted lines in FIGURE 2. When the door reaches such a limiting position, engagement of the pin 34 with the end 35 of the slot 33 stops further movement of the door and the limiting forces transmitted to the arm 36 are in turn transmitted through the rivet 31 to the horizontal section 22 of the hinge.

In prior art hinge structures of the type including a door stop mechanism, the portion thereof corresponding to the horizontal section 22 of the present hinge has been provided with a vertical flange which was fastened by means of screws or the like to the cabinet face. In order to eliminate the vertical flange or the like which would serve to increase the space required between the upper and lower closure members 4 and 5, the hinge mechanism of the present invention is anchored directly to the structural member 11 by means of a hook-shaped portion 37 extending from the inner edge 38 of the horizontal section 22 first through an aperture 39 in the mullion 14 and then through the aperture 40 in the structural member 11 with the end 41 of the hook portion 37 being adapted to engage the rear or inner surface of the structural member 11. Then this arrangement in which the hookshaped portion 37 is in the same plane as the horizontal section 22 of the hinge bracket the space between the upper and lower closure members 4 and 5 can be held to the minimum required to accommodate the horizontal section 22 of the hinge proper and the stop arm 30 and all of the forces transmitted to the hinge upon operation of the door stop to limit opening movement of the door is transmitted directly to the structural member 11 by engagement of the end 41 of the hook-shaped portion 37 with the rear side of the structural member 11. In addition, the hinge mechanism can be quickly and easily mounted on the cabinet merely by inserting the hook portion 37 into the openings therefor and thereafter fastening the base section 21 to the cabinet by means of the screws 29.

A further advantage of the present invention is that when the fastening means, that is the screws 30, are driven home with reference to the structural member 11, contact of the hook-shaped portion 37 with the structural member 11 causes the flange 10 which is sandwiched between the hinge base 21 and the end of the structural member 11 to be drawn in closer alignment with the opposite side edge flange. This results from the fact that the member 11 when connected to both side flanges is parallel to the desired plane of the face of the cabinet.

While the invention has been shown and described as applied to a cabinet including a pair of hinged closure members, it will be obvious that it is not limited thereto. For example the lower closure member 5 could be a closure member which is not hinged to the cabinet but which is employed for example to the closure for the access opening to the machinery compartment normally found at the bottom of a refrigerator cabinet. It is therefore intended by the appended claims to cover such modifications of the invention as come within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A cabinet comprising upper and lower compartments spaced from one another and having access openings at the front thereof,

said cabinet including an outer shell having side walls and inwardly extending side flanges at the front edges thereof,

a mullion extending across the front of the cabinet bridging the space between the access openings to said compartments,

separate closure members for closing said access openings having their opposed horizontal edge portions overlapping said mullion and spaced from one another,

a structural member secured to at least one side flange of said cabinet and extending into the space between said upper and lower compartments behind said mullion,

said structural member having an opening therein horizontally spaced from said one side flange,

hinge means for supporting at least one of said closure members for pivotal movement about an axis adjacent one side edge thereof,

said hinge means comprising a hinge bracket including a vertical base section overlying said one side flange and a flat horizontal section extending into the space between said opposed edge portions of said closure members,

a pivot pin on said horizontal section extending into the edge portion of said one of said closure members for pivotally supporting said one of said closure members,

said horizontal section having a hook-shaped portion extending through said mullion and said opening in said structural member and engaging the rear side of said structural member,

and fastening means passing through said one side flange and securing said hinge bracket base section to said structural member.

2. A cabinet comprising upper and lower compartments spaced from one another and having access openings at the front thereof,

said cabinet including an outer shell having side walls and inwardly extending side flanges at the front edges thereof,

a mullion extending across the front of the cabinet bridging the space between the access openings to said compartments,

separate closure members for closing said access openings with their opposed edge portions overlapping said mullion and spaced from one another,

a structural member secured to said side flanges and extending across the space between said upper and lower compartments behind said mullion,

said structural member having an opening therein horizontally spaced from one of said side flanges,

hinge means for supporting at least one of said closure members for pivotal movement about an axis adjacent one side edge thereof,

said hinge means comprising a hinge bracket including a vertical base section overlying said one side flange and a flat horizontal section extending into the space between said opposed edge portions of said closure members,

a pivot pin on said horizontal section for pivotally supporting said one of said closure members,

said horizontal section having a hook-shaped portion extending through said mullion and said opening in said structural member and engaging the rear side of said structural member,

and fastening means passing through said one side flange for securing said hinge bracket base section to said structural member.

3. A refrigerator cabinet comprising upper and lower compartments spaced from one another and having access openings at the front thereof,

said cabinet including an outer shell having side walls and inwardly extending side flanges at the front edges thereof,

a mullion extending across the front of the cabinet bridging the space between the access openings to said compartments,

separate closure members for closing said access openings with their opposed horizontal edge portions overlapping said mullion and spaced from one another,

a structural member secured to at least one side flange of said cabinet and extending into the space between said upper and lower compartments behind said mullion,

said structural member having an opening therein horizontally spaced from said one side flange,

hinge and stop means for supporting at least one of said closure members for pivotal movement about an axis adjacent one side edge thereof and for limiting opening movement of said one of said closure members,

said hinge means comprising a hinge bracket including a vertical base section overlying said one side flange and a flat horizontal section extending into the space between said opposed edge portions of said closure members,

fastening means passing through said one side flange and securing said hinge bracket base section to said structural member,

said stop being slidably connected at one end to said one of said closure members and pivotally connected at the other end to said horizontal section,

said horizontal section having a hook-shaped portion extending through said mullion and said opening in said structural member and engaging the rear side of said structural member and forming the sole means for anchoring said horizontal section against the forces transmitted to said horizontal section upon operation of said stop.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,207,046 Anderson July 9, 1940 2,385,169 Stone Sept. 18, 1945 2,571,622 Schmidt Oct. 16, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 540,777 Canada May 14, 1957 

1. A CABINET COMPRISING UPPER AND LOWER COMPARTMENTS SPACED FROM ONE ANOTHER AND HAVING ACCESS OPENINGS AT THE FRONT THEREOF, SAID CABINET INCLUDING AN OUTER SHELL HAVING SIDE WALLS AND INWARDLY EXTENDING SIDE FLANGES AT THE FRONT EDGES THEREOF, A MULLION EXTENDING ACROSS THE FRONT OF THE CABINET BRIDGING THE SPACE BETWEEN THE ACCESS OPENINGS TO SAID COMPARTMENTS, SEPARATE CLOSURE MEMBERS FOR CLOSING SAID ACCESS OPENINGS HAVING THEIR OPPOSED HORIZONTAL EDGE PORTIONS OVERLAPPING SAID MULLION AND SPACED FROM ONE ANOTHER, A STRUCTURAL MEMBER SECURED TO AT LEAST ONE SIDE FLANGE OF SAID CABINET AND EXTENDING INTO THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID UPPER AND LOWER COMPARTMENTS BEHIND SAID MULLION, SAID STRUCTURAL MEMBER HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN HORIZONTALLY SPACED FROM SAID ONE SIDE FLANGE, HINGE MEANS FOR SUPPORTING AT LEAST ONE OF SAID CLOSURE MEMBERS FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ABOUT AN AXIS ADJACENT ONE SIDE EDGE THEREOF, 